Skate



ay 1946. B. H. CELMER 2,400,535

SKATE Filed Sept. 19, 1944 WWW Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l ioleslawa H. Celmer, DetroikMichu application September 19, 1944, Seri aI a 534.7 77

4; Claims.

This invention relates to skates and has relae tion more particularly to an article of kind especially designed and adapted for use by atoe dancer, and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide a skate having means which, when applied to a foot of the dancer, will enable the instep of the foot to arch within the area of the skate and thereby give the foot equal balance as the surface engaging element of the skate will be at the center of the arched instep.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a skate of this kind wherein the heel portion of the skate is supported by the toe portion in a manner to further assure the desired equilibrium.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved skates whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the skate showing the same, in use;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same; and

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the surface engaging element is here shown as being in the form of a roller, although it is believed to be readily understood that the skate may have such surface engaging element in the form of a blade for use on ice. The substitution of one form of surface engaging member for another is believed to be obvious and, therefore, a detailed description and illustration of the two forms is believed to be unnecessary.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, C denotes a toe cup of desired size and design and which is adapted to receive the toe portion of a slipper' S herein disclosed as of a style generally used by toe dancers. The cup C at its rear is provided with the sole plate I which is suitably secured, as at 2, to the sole 3 of the slipper S.

The outer extremity of the toe cup C is provided with a rearwardly directed rigid plate 4 of desired configuration and form and the outer extremity of this plate 4 carries an upstanding socket 5 in which is threaded the lower end portion of a rod 6 of desired length.

This rod 6 extends inwardly of the slipper 1 s at substantially right angles to the plate 4 and has its outer or upper portion telescopically received Within an elongated sleeve I hingedly connected, as at 8, to a plate 9 which is securely fixed, as at I0,t'o the heel portion of the slipper sole 3.

Interposed between the socket 5 and the sleeve I is an expansible member I I herein disclosed as a'coiljspring; encircling the rod 6. The member or sprin'gll' has a tendency to exert such pressure which would tend to straighten or flatten.

out the sole 3 and it is, therefore, important and necessary to limit the extent of action of the rod 6 with a resultant regulation or control of the flexing of the sole 3.

In the present embodiment of the invention,

the arch or central portion of the sole 3 has.

secured thereto, as at I2, the outer end portions of the longitudinally disposed plates I I directed one toward the other with the inner portions of said plates I4 overlapping. The outermost plate I4 is provided therealong in its central portion with the slot I5 through which is directed a lug or part I5. It is believed to be obvious that the extent of flexing movement of the sole 3 or the extent of relative movement of the sleeve 'i along the rod 6 will be limited by contact of the lug or part IS with the opposite end edges of the slot I5.

The outer end portions I1 of the plates I4, which are secured to the sole 3, are in predetermined angular relation with respect to the plates I4 proper and as may be determined to best meet with the requirements of practice. It is believed to be obvious that the plates I4 coact in a manner to hold the back or heel portion of the sole 3 arched back and against flattening out when the foot is ofi the floor which is very necessary in order to maintainthe sole of the slipper in proper form. It is also believed to be obvious that the spring I I will allow for more arching of the instep within the limitations afforded by the slot 15.

The outer extremity of the cup C carries suitably mounted rollers R although it is believed to dancer are then only used for directing the glide. The rollers effectively glide since they are free from either the pressure of the rod and the toe as it is to be noted that the rollers R are exactly in the center between the toe cup C and the rod 6.

From the'foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a skate constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which'it niayjble as's'emble'dg'and operated What-is claimed is: 1. Foot gear for a toe dancer comprising a slipa per having a flexible sole, a rigid cup in which the toerportion of the slipper is placed, means for fixing the toe portion of the sole to the cup, a

rigid member carried by the outerextremityofthe toe cup and extending substantially perpendicular to the sole toe portion, 'a'yieldable connec tion between the outer end of the rigid memberof the toe cup and extending substantially perpendicular to the sole toe portion, a yieldable connection between the outer end of the plate and the heel portion of the sole of the slipper, a surface engaging element carried by the toe cup. and means'for limiting the extent of arching of the sole at the said instep portion thereof. 7

3. Foot gear for a toe dancer as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for limiting the extent of archirig of the sole at the'insole portion thereof "comprises two-overlapping plates extending lengthwise of the sole, means for securing the outer extremities of the plates to the sole, one of said plates having a slot extending therealong,

and a part carried by the second plate extending within the slot of the first plate. x

4. Foot gearior a toe dancer as set forth in claim Lwherein the yieldable connection between "the rigid member of the toe cup and the heel portion of the sole of the slipper comprises a rod,

means for connecting said rod at one end to the rigid member, a sleeve pivotally connected with the heel portion of the sole and having the'other k l end of the'rod telescopically extended thereinto,

and an expansiblemember exerting pressure on the sleeve for constantly urging movement of the sleeve on the rod away' from the member.

BOLE'SLAl NA H. CELMER. 

